What was announced came true - at the extraordinary summit of the European Union in Brussels on March 6, a plan called ReArm Europe was adopted by a majority vote, which, over several years, should provide 800 billion euros for defense, thus showing that Europe relies on itself without money from the United States. The largest part of the 650 billion euros refers to funds that the member states, by activating the emergency clause, should provide themselves, and that is not all. Namely, the European Commission is establishing a special financial instrument of 150 billion euros in loans to member states for defense investments. The Commission would borrow this amount on the financial markets, and in order to receive such a loan, the member states will submit a list of what they will spend the loan on.
It is assumed that these funds would be used to finance projects such as air and missile defense, artillery systems, unmanned aerial vehicles with missiles and ammunition, anti-drone equipment, and to address other needs - from cybersecurity to military mobility. The funds would be spent through joint procurement, which would reduce costs, increase interoperability and strengthen the defense industrial base. The huge defense allocations are explained as a form of deterrence for Russia from repeating what it is doing in Ukraine, although the situation is not such that the Kremlin will invade, for example, Germany and Poland. According to what can be concluded from anonymous polls, because it is not allowed to talk about it publicly in Russia, the Russian people have had enough of this war, which has already entered its fourth year, to start another one.
My acquaintance, Prof. Dr. Marinko Ogorec, former Croatian military attaché in Moscow, says that he is not sure that in the current situation Russia has enough capacity and military potential for any escalation of the war conflict outside the territory of Ukraine. He states that hybrid actions do not necessarily have to be a prelude to the escalation of a classic war, but they can be a good form of destabilization of certain targeted systems, and introduce a certain dose of unrest, tension and anxiety into the targeted community.
Regarding the arming of Europe, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is very decisive and emphasizes that a large increase in defense capacities is necessary, adding: "We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves." I would like to remind you that the European Council makes the decision on the budget by consensus, which will not be easy to achieve, because Europe is perhaps more divided than ever since World War II, with the rise of right-wing parties that publicly or secretly have good relations with the Kremlin.
In the context of US-European relations, what is the significance of the meeting held in London on March 1 of 18 European leaders, including those from the United Kingdom and Turkey, whose countries are not members of the EU? There was extensive discussion of a peace agreement on Ukraine, but there was no general agreement. The vast majority of EU members believe that it is still necessary to send military aid to Ukraine and increase economic pressure on Russia until it withdraws from the occupied territories, in order to establish permanent sovereignty and border security for Ukraine, but this is primarily opposed by Hungary, which has not allowed aid to be sent to Ukraine through its territory for the past three years.
In the end, a major military aid package to Ukraine, which was supposed to replace the US support that was the largest and now uncertain, collapsed at the EU summit in Brussels. Since the beginning of the Russian military aggression, the EU and its member states have provided almost €135 billion in aid to Ukraine and its population, including €48,7 billion in support for the Ukrainian armed forces. The EU has also imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia, the latest of which, adopted on 24 February 2025, target key areas of the Russian economy, including banking, the navy, and technology in the industrial and energy sectors.
Although aware that any peace agreement for Ukraine is not feasible without the political, financial and military support of the US, some EU members ignore the other, key party in this war, Russia, on whose role the US president insists. Namely, Donald Trump initiated talks with Vladimir Putin without the participation of European partners and Kiev, and whose goal is to favor Russia, to the detriment of Ukraine. Europe does not agree to such a solution - and the war continues to devastate Ukraine and claim huge victims.
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